Kees van Bohemen - Framed silkscreen: untitled - 1981

Cornelis Bernardus (Kees) van Bohemen (1928-1985) was a Dutch painter and graphic artist from The Hague, where he also attended the art academy from 1943 to 1948.
Initially, Kees painted in a limited palette of primarily black and white, supplemented with blue, brown, and pink. His work was abstract expressionist, influenced by Tachism, and emphasized action painting. Over the course of his career, however, he began to work increasingly figuratively and colorfully. His trips to America (1966) and Africa (1972) played a role in this. His figurative work typically focuses on people, often with a strong dynamic: athletes and fast cars. In 1966, Kees lived in New York for a year, where he was captivated by the city, street scenes, and sports scenes, which he painted increasingly figuratively. He also regularly attended events at Andy Warhol's "Factory." He would return to America many times afterward. During his trip to Africa, he painted many animals in nature.
Following his academy years, Kees lived in Paris until 1957 on a scholarship. He had a studio in the hide warehouse on Rue Santeuil, where Karel Appel, Bram Bogart, and Corneille also resided. In 1958, he joined the Informele Groep (Informal Group) along with others like Armando, Henk Peeters, Jan Schoonhoven, and Jan Henderikse. This group, characterized by a form of abstract expressionism, directness, materiality, and engagement, was short-lived. In 1961, its members founded the Nul Movement and took a completely different direction. Kees van Bohemen was not a core member of this new movement but remained closely involved in its network of artists. Kees had previously been involved with De Nieuwe Ploeg (The New Plough), De Nieuwe Haagse School (The New Hague School), Pulchri Studio, and Liga Nieuwe Beelden (New Sculpture League).
Kees van Bohemen won numerous awards, including the Talens Prize (1963), the Jacob Maris Prize (1964), and the Wedgwood Prize (1966). His work is included in the collections of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Boymans-van Beuningen Museum, and the Hague Municipal Museum.